Wise Quotes

I have always been a fan of inspirational quotes, and yesterday I was introduced to a collection of wise quotes by Thích Nhất Hạnh. Who is this, you might ask…Thích Nhất Hạnh is a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, teacher, author, poet and peace activist. He travels the world giving talks and well, spreading words of wisdom and peace. He is the man Martin Luther King called “An Apostle of peace and nonviolence.” It made me ask myself, how could he have so much wisdom? Through great discipline, he is blessed to have this incredible gift of peaceful words, and his teachings are worldly.

Here are a few of my favorite quotes from Thích Nhất Hạnh. Be mindful, allow yourself to be present during this time.

~”Freedom is not given to us by anyone; we have to cultivate it ourselves. It is a daily practice… No one can prevent you from being aware of each step you take or each breath in and breath out.” ~

~ “People have a hard time letting go of their suffering. Out of a fear of the unknown, they prefer suffering that is familiar.” ~

~ “Enlightenment is always there. Small enlightenment will bring great enlightenment. If you breathe in and are aware that you are alive—that you can touch the miracle of being alive—then that is a kind of enlightenment.” ~

~ “Many people are alive but don’t touch the miracle of being alive.” ~

~ “It is possible to live happily in the here and now. So many conditions of happiness are available—more than enough for you to be happy right now. You don’t have to run into the future in order to get more.” ~

~ “People suffer because they are caught in their views. As soon as we release those views, we are free and we don’t suffer anymore.” ~

~ “Mindfulness helps you go home to the present. And every time you go there and recognize a condition of happiness that you have, happiness comes.” ~

~ “Life is available only in the present. That is why we should walk in such a way that every step can bring us to the here and the now.” ~

~ “When you love someone, the best thing you can offer is your presence. How can you love if you are not there?” ~

~ “To be loved means to be recognized as existing.” ~

~ “Every thought you produce, anything you say, any action you do, it bears your signature.” ~

~ “We have to continue to learn. We have to be open. And we have to be ready to release our knowledge in order to come to a higher understanding of reality.” ~

Silence From Within

Meditation can help you find your silence from within. Below is one of my absolute favorite quotes. It really simplifies finding the happiness and peace within yourself. You have to love yourself first, then the silence from within will keep you balanced. I think the ultimate way to balance and settle within yourself, and draw strength, is to meditate. When I first started meditation, I didn’t think it was for me or that it worked. But amazing things have happened in the roughly year and a half that I have practiced meditation. Mindfulness is key to making decisions. I have been able to channel that mindfulness and that has resulted in making better choices in my life.. I am finding more strength within myself every day. I attribute that to meditation.

For thousands of years people have used meditation to move beyond the mind’s stress-inducing thoughts and emotional upsets  into the peace and clarity of present moment awareness. The variety of meditation techniques, traditions, and technologies is nearly infinite, but the essence of meditation is singular: the cultivation of mindful awareness and expanded consciousness.  (chopra.com)

Silence is something that comes from your heart, not from outside.

Silence doesn’t mean not talking and not doing things, it means that you are not disturbed inside.

If you are truly silent, then no matter what situation you find yourself in, you can enjoy the silence.

Thich Nhat Hanh